


Dare

by Blue_Five



Series: Into the Black [2]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-16
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-01-01 17:07:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1046356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Five/pseuds/Blue_Five
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reimaginging of Star Trek<br/>Alpha/Omega AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: All chapters of this work are fiction using characters from the Star Trek universe. I do not claim any ownership over them or any of the many Trek universes. This work is solely for entertainment purposes and is not considered canon (not by a long shot).

In the moments before his death, George Kirk learned that he had a son and that he was an alpha.  He and his mate, Winona, named him James Tiberius Kirk.  Despite knowing that he would have taken the same actions given a choice, George did regret deeply that he would never know his son nor the man he would become.

* * *

Jimmy Kirk was nothing if not a _trying_ child.  His mother, grief-stricken, opted to throw herself into her work and was off-world a great deal.  Jim grew up knowing he was little more than a reminder of quite possibly the most horrific moment in his mother’s life.  Still, Winona did not want to be alone and so she married a man named Frank.  It was an error that Jim would pay for with bruises and the occasional concussion.

Frank was an alpha.  Two alphas rarely remained in one household if they weren’t related by blood and Frank constantly reminded Jim he was _not_ his son.  Jim agreed wholeheartedly and did everything to demonstrate his understanding.  Driving his father’s vintage Corvette over a quarry cliff before his stepfather could sell it was one such demonstration.  Jim never knew if his mother noticed the marks on his body – if she did, she never mentioned it.

A child possessed of a frighteningly clever and intelligent mind, Jim learned early how to get what he needed or wanted by being unpredictable and using methods no one else would consider because they were too dangerous.  He had more than a few broken bones, but Jim also learned how to take a hit, a fall and to swallow any pain life gave him.  He developed a motto of get them before they got you – an antagonistic attitude that earned him even more injuries as he grew older.

By the time he was 26, Jim Kirk was infamous in Riverside, Iowa.  People came to him but rarely stayed, which was fine with Jim.  As an alpha, he never wanted for bed-mates – male or female.  Despite his reputation or maybe because of it, Jim was often sought out by omegas during their heats – and he was more than willing to oblige.  He did, however, take great care to avoid impregnating or claiming one.  Jim Kirk had little desire to take a mate regardless of the many offers.

Jim was also well-known as a rather disappointing shadow of his father.  The entire planet knew who George Kirk was – and Jim was not him.  Jim was not even _close_ to being him.  That knowledge, coupled with the many other voices that reminded him daily how pointless he was, ate at Jim.  He buried the pain under sex with random strangers and a _lot_ of alcohol.

It was the desire to escape, yet again, that drove him to a nearby bar.  He drove his Harley and strode in completely sober.  Jim then spent two hours drinking himself stupid and trying to scent a willing companion for the night.

When the tall woman with black hair and mocha skin walked up to the bar, Jim instantly scented her as a beta.  She gave the barkeep her order and Jim took his chance.

“That's a lotta drinks for one woman,” Jim said, blinking.

The woman immediately assessed him and dismissed him.  Looking back at the bartender, she said, “And a shot of Jack straight up.”

Jim continued his attempt to struke up a conversation.  “Make that two.  Her shot's on me.”

“Her shot's on her,” the woman said with an amused look.  “Thanks but no thanks.”

Jim shook his head.  “Don't you want to at least know my name before you completely reject me?”

“I'm fine without it,” she replied.

Jim had to agree.  “You _are_ fine without it.  It's Jim.  Jim Kirk.” 

Jim watched the beta carefully.  She was amused with him but it was more indulgence than anything, which now made her a challenge.  Jim loved challenges.  “If you don't tell me your name, I'm gonna have to make one up.”

“It's Uhura.”

“Uhura?  _No way,_ that was the name I was gonna make up for you!” Jim said with a surprised expression on his face.

Uhura rolled her eyes but, like so many before her, she found herself being sucked into the Jim Kirk charm radius.

“Uhura what?”

“Just Uhura.”

Jim frowned.  “They don't have last names in your world?”

“Uhura is my last name.”

Another frown.  “Well ... they don't have, um, first names in your world?”  Uhura chuckled and Jim decided to move a little closer.  “So, you're a cadet, you're studying.  What's your focus?”

“Xenolinguistics.  You have no idea what that means,” Uhura said smugly.

Just as smug, Jim replied, “It's the study of alien languages.  Morphology, phonology, syntax – it means you've got a talented tongue.”

Uhura smiled.  “I'm impressed.  For a moment there, I thought you were just a dumb hick who only has sex with farm animals.”

Jim smirked.  “Well ... not _only_ ...”

A large man walked up behind Jim and, speaking to Uhura, said, “This townie's not bothering you, is he?”

Uhura was still laughing at Jim's joke.  “Oh, beyond belief ... but it's nothing I can't handle.”

Jim grinned.  “You could handle me ... that's an invitation.”

“Hey!” the man snapped.  “You better mind your manners!”

Jim scented another alpha and sighed.  “Oh _relax,_ cupcake, it was a joke.”

The man grabbed Jim's shoulder and spun him around.  “Hey, farm boy.  Maybe you can't count, but there are four of us and one of you.”

Jim's eyes narrowed as he took in the alphas and betas coming up behind their leader.  His smile was definitely cocksure.  “So get some more guys and then it'll be an even fight.”

Jim felt his blood rising but he was no where near a full-on alpha rage so he counted that a good thing.  Alphas who fought enraged tended to kill people.  Lost in his musings, Jim took the first punch full on.  His blue eyes sparked and he entered the fight in earnest.  Bodies and punches began to fly.  Jim would later classify the fight as not a total loss – one punch sent him spinning to the bar where he landed hands on Uhura’s breasts.  It would have been more enjoyable if she hadn't sent him flying back into the fray off-balance.

Jim lay sprawled out on a tabletop when Pike arrived.  The young alpha watched the older one take charge and corral the cadets.  He watched all of this with his head hanging off the edge of a table.  Later, nose bleeding and napkins attempting to staunch it, Jim found himself on the end of yet another ‘why aren’t you doing more with your life’ speech.  He would have ignored all of it if it weren’t for the alpha's final words.

“I dare you to do better.”

Jim Kirk spent the rest of the night driving and thinking.  He looked at the star-filled sky and he wondered if he would ever see them up close.  In that moment, James Tiberius Kirk made his decision – he never looked back.

* * *

When he got on the shuttle, Jim simply saluted the cadets that had beaten the hell out of him the previous night.  He was bruised and battered but Jim Kirk now had a purpose.  He was going to see how far it would carry him.  Finding a seat, he occupied himself with figuring out the straps. 

Voice raised in protest caught his attention and he watched as a rather scruffy looking male specimen was led out of his hiding place in the bathroom and none-too-gently forced to find a place to sit.

“You need to get back to your seat.”

“I had one ... in the bathroom with no windows!”

Jim regarded the man with some wariness as he argued with the pilot.  “I suffer from aviaphobia.  That's a fear of dying in something that flies!”

The pilot was duly unimpressed.  “Sit down or else I will make you sit down!”

The man regarded the beta who was a good head shorter than himself.  He sighed with a deep resignation and stalked off to find a seat.  As luck would have it, the only open seat nearby was beside Jim.

Falling heavily into the seat, the man turned blearily to Jim and muttered, “I may throw up on you.”

Jim blinked, startled.  The man's scent tagged him as an omega.  He wore no collar but the faint shadow of where it had been was still on the man’s neck.  Jim re-evaluated the man – older than himself but not by much … dark hair and bloodshot hazel eyes.  He was attractive in a down-on-his-luck way.  His scent was all smoke and liquor and Jim didn’t think it was just where he’d been lately.  Interesting.

“I think these things are safe, you know,” Jim offered.

“Don’t pander to _me_ , kid,” the omega growled.  “One tiny crack in the hull and our blood boils in 13 seconds.  A solar flare might crop up, cook us in our seats.  And wait until your sitting pretty with a case of Andorian shingles and your _eyes_ are bleeding.  Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence.”

Jim rolled his eyes.  “Well, I hate to break this to you, but Starfleet _operates_ in space.”

The defeated look on the omega's face caught Jim's attention.  He could suddenly scent pain bleeding off the omega and a surge of protectiveness flared through him.  Jim immediately pushed it down.

_That was odd._

The omega sighed deeply.  “Yeah, well I got nowhere else to go.  My mate took the whole damn planet in the bond-severing.  All I got left is my bones.”

Jim regarded the omega for a moment and watched as he took a drink from a flask he pulled out of his jacket.  The man glanced over and offered it to Jim.  Jim took it with a faint smile.

“Jim Kirk.”

“McCoy.  Leonard McCoy.”

Jim smiled again as he handed the flask back.  He was intrigued by Leonard McCoy.  People didn’t intrigue him.  Jim figured out what they wanted and left it at that.  Now this gruff man with the five o’clock shadow had him curious and feeling strangely ‘alpha’.  As the shuttle took off, Jim noticed the blood drain from McCoy’s face.  He took a chance and gave the terrified man's shoulder a squeeze.  It was considered rude for an alpha to ever lay hands on an omega unless invited or if the circumstances were life-threatening – but Jim found himself wanting  to comfort the omega and ease the fear scent rising off him.

At his touch, the omega flinched but he didn’t tell Jim to get his hands the hell off.  Instead, he seemed to relax somewhat so Jim kept his hand resting lightly on the omega.  No claim, no intent … just reassurance.  It seemed to work and Jim felt an alpha’s contentment.  It was odd but it felt right somehow.  Jim decided he was going to get to know this strange omega with the smoky smooth scent.

* * *

When Leonard McCoy staggered onto the shuttle, he was prepared to hide out until they reached San Francisco.  That failed spectacularly, so Leonard fell into a random open seat.  When he leaned over to warn the man next to him that he might just humiliate them both by throwing up, he had to force himself _not_ to spike at the scent coming off the alpha next to him.  If sunlight had a smell, it would have been this alpha’s.  He made sure to never look directly at the man and was grateful he wasn’t so drunk that he couldn’t dampen his own scent.

The alpha tried to reassure him and Leonard found himself wanting to climb into the man’s lap so those arms would go around him.  Jocelyn had been his alpha for so long and things had been bad for so long, Leonard had forgotten what it was like to have an alpha comfort him.  His omega instincts were screaming at him to submit and do it fast before this one got away.  Instead, he rattled off something about death and disease. 

_Andorian shingles?  Good God,… man probably thinks I’m a lunatic._

Then he offered the alpha a drink which was accepted with a faint smile and eyes bluer than the sky.  Leonard knew he was in trouble.  He wondered if the alpha had an omega.  Then he wondered why the hell he cared.

 _I just went through three weeks of withdrawals because of a severed bond … what the hell am I doing?!?_ Leonard asked himself miserably.

He didn’t wonder for long as the shuttle lifted off the ground and McCoy felt his heart slamming in his chest.  He gripped the arm rests and tried not to think … normally he was fairly good at that.  He was also normally far more drunk than he was at present.  Leonard could feel the panic beginning to set in and he prepared himself for the humiliation of either fainting or just plain cracking up.

Jim’s hand landed on his shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze.  Leonard flinched at the man’s touch … God it had been too long since an alpha touched him out of kindness.  He could smell that warm, fresh scent again and he used it to help calm himself.  Leonard’s shoulders slowly relaxed and he found that he was able to breathe again.  He didn’t protest when the alpha left his hand in place.  It was a little breach of manners, but Leonard wasn’t about to complain.

 _Fuck my life,_ Leonard thought unhappily.  He was hopelessly smitten with the alpha with the dark blonde hair and sky-blue eyes that smelled like sunshine.

* * *

And didn’t his heart just go into his throat and lodge there when he opened the door to his dorm room and found Jim Kirk sprawled out on one bunk? 

‘What the hell, kid?”

“Hey, Bones!  You finally done with orientation?”

“’Bones’?” McCoy queried with a cocked eyebrow. 

Jim lowered his voice to a rough growl, “’All I have left is m’bones’.”

Leonard rolled his eyes.  When he sat down on the bunk across from Jim he decided he’d better clear the air – figuratively and literally – between them.

“So, kid, in case you didn’t already notice, I’m an omega,” McCoy said softly.

“And I’m an alpha … so?” Jim asked innocently.

“First off, how the hell did you even get this room assigned to you?  Starfleet doesn’t room omegas and alphas unless they’re mated … oh wait, kid, you’re not –“ Leonard suddenly had a spike of fear that Jim intended to claim him.

Jim looked affronted.  “Hey, I might be from the sticks but I wouldn’t do _that_!”

Leonard sighed.  “Ok, kid, ok.  Sorry, but you know as well as I do it’s a concern.”

“Yeah, I get it – and to answer your other question, I hacked the housing system and assigned myself.” Jim said cheerfully.

“You did what?  Why would you do that?” McCoy asked.

Jim’s smile faded and Leonard decided he’d never hated his inability to stay silent more than that instant.  “I can change it back if you want to room with someone else, Bones.”

Leonard ran his hand over his face.  “No, Jim, that’s not what I mean … hell, you’re the only person I _know_ in this place and beyond your name and that you like scotch, I don’t know all that much.”

“And I’m an alpha and that has you freaked.”

“I’m not freaked.  I don’t get freaked.”

“Sure … what I’m scenting is you _not_ being freaked?”

McCoy sighed and held up a hand.  “Ok, let’s start over … hi, glad we’re gonna be roommates, Jim.”

Jim’s return smile was brilliant as he sat up and shook Bones’ hand  – it matched the sunshine he smelled like.  Bones knew he was lost.  Still … the alpha _had_ requested to room with him.  Maybe he was interested after all – McCoy let himself wonder and hope.

* * *

Three weeks into their semester, Bones got a text as he was walking across to the dorms.  He chided himself at the flare of excitement when he saw it was from Jim.  The excitement faded as he read the message.

**_Bones, got company.  2 hrs?  Owe you._ **

Leonard McCoy wasn’t blind.  He’d seen the way Jim attracted women and men with his easy charm and smile.  Only three weeks and he’d managed to find someone to share his bed … Leonard supposed if it was any other alpha he’d be amused and more than a little annoyed that he had to avoid his own room for two hours.

But it wasn’t any other alpha.  It was Jim.  And he’d still hoped.

 _I never learn,_ McCoy thought dully.

Walking to one of the many benches dotting the quads, Leonard lay back with a deep sigh and stared at the quickly darkening sky.  He knew he had a choice to make.  Either find a new roommate and avoid Jim Kirk altogether … or he could just man up and accept reality.  He was only recently severed from his mate of several years, it was understandable he’d fallen for the young, vibrant alpha.  He was older and nowhere near as attractive as his friend … what the hell had he expected?  The kid was heading into the black … how would that even work?  Leonard hated space flight and he had little inclination to bash around the universe ‘exploring’.

Doing what he did best, Leonard McCoy shoved all of his misery down deep in his gut.  He pushed the pain there as well.  Jim would never want him for a mate, but they were already well on their way to building a close friendship.  Leonard decided in that instant that he would take Jim any way he could have him – platonic relationship included.  McCoy was nothing if not loyal to a fault and he was learning that Jim hadn’t had a lot of that in his life.  He’d be the best damn friend the kid would ever have. 

Leonard wondered how long it would be before his chest stopped aching.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait between updates ... my tribble muse just started cooing at me again. Enjoy!

**THREE YEARS LATER . . .**

Bones jogged easily down the steps.  He didn't have to look to see that Jim was right beside him – the alpha's scent was still one of the few he could find in a crowd without even half-trying.  It was distinctly brighter.

“What are you so happy about?” McCoy grumbled.

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Jim replied with false innocence.

“No, I don't suppose you do,” Leonard sighed.

Jim grinned and then his attention was drawn away to follow a contingent of beta females that passed.  “Hel- _lo_ , ladies!”

Bones rolled his eyes but didn't bother to look over.  It was a scene he'd been witness to hundreds of times in the past three years – he knew the slightly dazed look most people Jim expressed interest in got on their faces.  He'd probably worn it a few times himself during their time at the Academy.  The alpha just affected people that way.

“I'm taking the test again,” Jim announced casually.

Leonard turned to his friend in disbelief.  “You've got to be kidding me!”

“Yep, tomorrow morning and I want you there, Bones,” Jim replied.

Leonard shook his head.  “You know, I've got better things to do than watch you embarrass yourself for the third time.” McCoy groused.  “I'm a _doctor_ , Jim.  I'm busy.”

Even as the words left his lips, Bones knew they were pointless.  He'd show up like the loyal friend he was because he always did.  Jim maneuvered in front of him and put a palm against McCoy's chest, pausing the omega.

Bones sighed.  Jim was still absolutely the only alpha allowed to touch him in such a casual fashion outside of his heats.  He pursed his lips and frowned at his friend.

“Bones, it doesn't bother you that no one's ever passed the test?”  Jim asked, his eyes serious.

“Jim, it's the _Kobayashi Maru_.  _No one_ passes the test.  And no one goes back for seconds,” he looked meaningfully at the alpha. “Let alone for thirds.”

Jim grinned and patted Bones on the shoulder.  “I gotta study.”

He walked off, leaving Leonard to follow his departing back and fading scent like he always did.  McCoy sighed.  He'd scented the spike off the alpha that meant the studying Jim intended had little to do with any subject Starfleet taught.

“Study, my ass,” he growled softly, heading back to his room.

If McCoy had turned, he would have seen a particular dark blonde alpha watching the doctor walk away with an appreciative gaze for the view.

* * *

Kissing his way down Gaila's body, Jim couldn't help but wish it was someone else with dark hair and hazel eyes and a growling voice that God must have created just for sex.  He pushed the daydream out of his mind so he wouldn't lose focus.  Gaila's Orion pheromones were strong today ... not that Jim was complaining.  He looked down at her as she gasped, “Jim, I think I love you.”

Jim froze.  “That is so weird,” he murmured.

The strong emotional reactions he got from people sometimes truly confused him.  He'd complained about it to Bones one night and had been speared with one bright hazel eye and a grumbled, “Leave me the fuck alone, I was asleep.”

Bones would have made an _awesome_ alpha.

Gaila, however, wasn't amused by his response.  “Lights.” The illumination blazed, making Jim blink.  “Did you just say, 'that is so weird'?”

“Yeah, I did, but --”

“You don't love me too?”

Jim could feel his planned evening drifting quickly toward a crash and burn.  Before he could formulate a response, the door to the room slid open and Gaila's eyes widened.

“Oh my God, my roommate!”

Jim frowned.  “I thought you said she was gone for the night?”

“Well obviously she isn't!  Quick, get under the bed!” Gaila said, pushing him over.

“What?  Oh come on ...” Jim complained.

“She can't see you here!” Gaila whispered frantically.

Jim reluctantly dropped to the floor as a familiar beta scent moved into the room.  He grinned.  Uhura.

“The strangest thing,” Uhura was saying as she undressed.  “I was in the long-range sensor lab ... I was tracking solar systems and I picked up an emergency transmission.  From a Klingon prison planet .. an entire armada was destroyed.  47 ships.”

“So,” Gaila asked softly.  “You're _not_ going back to the lab tonight?”

Uhura froze and turned with an annoyed look.  “Gaila, who is he?”

“Who's who?” Gaila said innocently.

“The mouth-breather under the bed.”

Jim popped up with a frown.  “You can hear me _breathing_?”

“You!” Uhura accused.

“Big day tomorrow,” Jim said with a grin while gathering his clothes.  “Gaila, see you around.”

“You're gonna fail,” Uhura promised.

“If I pass, will you tell me your first name?”

“No!  Good night,” Uhura said, stalking behind Jim as he headed to the door.

“I think the fact that you picked up a transmission is very interesting . . . “ Jim offered.  The door slid shut between them.

With a sigh, Jim dressed in the hallway and quickly snuck out of the building.  He headed back to his own room and a certain grouchy omega.  He paused to look up at the star-sprinkled sky.  “Ah, Bones – what am I gonna do if you won't go into the black with me?”

* * *

Leonard sat on his bunk with a padd and a cup of now-lukewarm coffee.  He’d read the same paragraph at least twelve times and never made it past the first sentence with any recollection.  Jim was across campus with someone … a female, a male … human or not … it wasn’t Leonard regardless.

“Fuck my life,” McCoy growled to himself.

Three years.  Three long years and he _still_ couldn’t stop the savage jealousy that surged through him whenever Jim was out on the pull.  He _still_ spent his mostly lonely heats trying _not_ to picture the alpha’s very tone physique.  He was _still_ hopelessly in love with a man who would never see him as more than a best friend/sidekick.

It didn’t help that Jim was probably the handsiest alpha Leonard had ever known.  Whenever they were in proximity of each other, Jim would be patting him on the arm, sliding his arm around Leonard’s shoulders or hanging off him in one fashion or another.  Nevermind the almost weekly incursions into Leonard’s actual bed for one half-assed reason or another – unfortunately _not_ for the reason McCoy wished.  He knew no one understood.  Several times mutual acquaintances asked if Jim was ever going to claim him and Leonard would just roll his eyes and mutter, “See me when all nine levels of hell are ice skating.”

Unbonded omegas had to keep very strict physical boundaries.  It was just common sense.  An alpha could easily initiate a claim if they got carried away with even the most casual of touching.  Jim never took it too far … sure, he couldn’t keep his hands to himself unless bound and gagged but the touches were never improper.  Not really.  And it wasn’t as if McCoy was going to protest anyway … he’d become very good at dampening his scent out of self-defense.  He never knew when he was going to wake up with Jim clinging to him like a limpet.

McCoy smiled to himself remembering Captain Pike pulling him aside during his first year as a cadet and warning him that Jim’s behavior was very close to an alpha marking his omega.  Leonard _had_ been married … he knew full-well when an alpha was being … territorial.  He didn’t care … he’d already made a vow to take Jim however he could have him.  If that meant putting up with his overly tactile mannerisms when there was no hope of a claim being offered, so be it.  He was Jim’s friend and he would always be there for the young man.  No matter what it cost Leonard in the process.

However, alone in his room _again_ , McCoy thought – not for the first time – that he was twelve times a fool for not walking away from Jim Kirk when he had the chance.  He sipped at his coffee and grimaced.  He’d just unfolded to pour it down the drain and make a fresh pot when Jim sauntered in, disheveled but with his usual mile-wide grin.

“Bones!  Come on, let’s go get dinner!”

“How do you know I haven’t already eaten?” McCoy answered, dumping the coffee and rinsing out his mug.

He looked over to see Jim regarding him with an amused expression.  Leonard sighed.  “You struck out and I’m second choice?”

Jim laughed and started taking off his uniform.  McCoy averted his eyes to search desperately for his socks somewhere on the floor.

 _Don’t spike don’t spike don’t spike_.

“Whatever, Bones … I didn’t ‘strike out’.  We were interrupted by her roommate.”

“Uhura tossed you out, huh?”

Jim’s eyebrows danced up.  “How’d you know --?”

Leonard rolled his eyes.  “Save me from clueless alphas … kid, Gaila’s pheromones are worse than yours.  I can tell you every individual she’s been with on the entire campus!”

“How … how many people has she been with?  Is it a lot?” Jim asked with a frown.

McCoy chuckled.  “No, Jim.  I exaggerate.  It’s only you.”

Tucking his wallet in the back pocket of his jeans, Leonard paused at the door.  “You comin’ kid?”

Jim nodded.  As they walked down the hallway, Jim threw his arm companionably around McCoy’s shoulders and grinned.  “Thanks, Bones.”

The omega glanced sideways at Jim with a confused look.  “For what?”

“For lovin’ me even when I drive you right up the wall,” Jim said.

Leonard rolled his eyes.  “Don’t get too lost in your gratitude … you’re buying.”

“Anything for you, Bones.  Anything for you,” Jim laughed.

And if other alphas caught wind of his scent all over McCoy and thought his friend was pending a claim, Jim didn’t care.  He was skirting the edge of acceptable polite behavior, but the omega had never protested and Jim had spent the last three years keeping Leonard comfortably marked.  He would continue to do so for as long as he could manage.  When he left to go into space … well, he’d deal with that day when it arrived.  Until then, Bones was going to smell like Jim Kirk, propriety be damned and all other alphas had better step the fuck off.

* * *

The next day, Leonard McCoy sat in the simulation room wondering how the hell he let himself get talked into these things.  Oh yes, he remembered ... because he had an unrequited crush on his alpha best friend.

Uhura turned away from the communications console and said in a sweet, prim voice, “We are receiving a distress signal from the _U.S.S. Kobayashi Maru_.  The ship has lost power and is stranded.  Starfleet Command has ordered us to rescue them.”

Jim smiled.  “Starfleet Command has ordered us to rescue them ... _Captain_ ,” he admonished softly.

Bones rolled his eyes.  “Two Klingon vessels have entered the Neutral Zone and are locking weapons on us.”

“That's ok,” Jim said calmly.

Bones blinked and turned with an incredulous look.  Normally he could tell what Jim was thinking by his scent but today it was strangely muddled.  “' _That's okay'_?”

“Yeah, don't worry about it,” Jim assured the omega.

“Three more Klingon warbirds decloaking and targeting our ship,” Leonard reported.  He turned with a sigh.  “I don't suppose this is a problem either?”

“They're firing, Captain,” The cadet at navigation informed him.

Jim said nothing to that, but turned to Uhura.  “Alert Medical Bay to prepare to receive _all_ crew members from the damaged ship.”

“And how do you expect us to rescue them when we're surrounded by Klingons, _Captain_?”  Jim didn't miss the derisive tone in her voice

“Alert Medical.” Jim said quietly but firmly.

“Our ship is being hit,” Bones reported.  “Shields at 60%.”

“I understand,” Jim said calmly, reaching beside him for an apple he'd brought with him.

“Well,” Bones offered in his best sarcastic tone.  “Should we ... I don't know ... _fire back_?”

Jim considered and then took a large bite out of the apple.  “No.”

“Of course not,” Bones grumbled.

Turning back to his console he tried again to decipher the alpha's scent.  He knew Jim better than anyone, he liked to think – but this time his friend had him seriously confused.  Instead of the usual stress and anger over the test's outcome, Jim's scent was almost ... smug? 

 _What are you thinking, kid?_ Bones wondered.

He frowned when the screen flickered and the lights in the simulation room went briefly down.  “What the hell?”

Once the lights came back up, Bones picked up a definite spike in confidence from Jim.  He felt a knot of unease begin to grow in his stomach.

Jim smiled calmly as if glitches like that occurred all the time during simulation tests.  “Arm photons.  Prepare to fire on the Klingon warbirds.”

“Jim, their shields are still up,” Leonard said

“Are they?” Jim asked, pitching his voice low.  Any other time and Bones would have been fighting to hide his physical reaction to the alpha but it only made him more nervous today.

McCoy turned back to his console with a frown and then blinked in confusion.  “Uh ... no they're not ...”

“Fire on all enemy ships,” Jim said around a bite of apple.  “One photon each should do.  Let's not waste ammunition.”

The ship fired and one by one the warbirds disintegrated in balls of fire.  “All ships destroyed, sir.”

Jim grinned and stood.  “So!  We've managed to eliminate all enemy ships, no one on board was injured,” Jim clapped Bones on the shoulder.  The alpha resisted the urge to roll his eyes.  “ _And_ the successful rescue of the _Kobayashi Maru_ crew is underway.”

Bones shook his head as he mused over the situation.  Jim didn't believe in no-win situations.  Leonard certainly hoped he hadn't just put himself in one.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you as always for all the kind comments and encouragement!

Leonard sat nervously next to Jim in the main assembly hall. He looked at the admirals seated facing the cadets and tried very hard to imagine this was going to be something pleasant. He failed miserably. The alpha next to him was exuding nothing but upbeat energy. That faded when the Academy President spoke solemnly.

"This session has been called to resolve a troubling matter," Admiral Bennett said. "James T. Kirk, step forward."

Leonard met Jim's eyes and he knew … the simulation test. He watched worriedly as his roommate made his way down to the podium.

"Cadet Kirk, evidence has been submitted to this council suggesting that you violated the ethical code of conduct pursuant to Regulation 17.43 of the Starfleet code."

_Oh fuck ... kid, what did you do?_

McCoy could smell Jim from his seat … nerves were beginning to dampen the bright sunlit scent. Leonard felt a surge of protectiveness … omegas might have been DNA coded for support and submission but they could easily be as savage as an alpha when their loved ones were threatened. Jim glanced back at McCoy with a nonchalant expression and the omega calmed. Somewhat.

"Is there anything you care to say before we begin, sir?"

Jim took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. "Yes, I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly."

Admiral Bennett looked into the audience and Jim watched as a Vulcan stood and walked down to another podium. He was deliberate in all his movements. Jim knew he was in for a fight – and that was just fine by him.

McCoy saw Jim's shoulders tighten and he bit back a sigh. The alpha was preparing for a full-on confrontation. In Leonard's experience with Jim, this would not end well.

"This is Commander Spock. He is one of our most distinguished graduates," the admiral said. "He's programmed the _Kobayashi Maru_ exam for the last four years. Commander?"

Spock looked over at Jim. "Cadet Kirk, you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine in the programming code, thereby changing the conditions of the test."

"Your point being?" Jim asked.

"In academic vernacular, you cheated," Bennett elaborated.

"Let me ask you something I think we all know the answer to. The test itself is a cheat, isn't it?" Jim asked. "I mean, you programmed it to be unwinnable."

Leonard felt the constriction on his chest grow nearly unbearable. Jim was going to try and out-debate a _Vulcan_? McCoy could almost hear the crash coming.

"Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario," Spock said.

"I don't believe in no-win scenarios," Jim declared.

"Then, not only did you violate the rules," Spock accused. "You also failed to understand the principal lesson."

"Please, enlighten me."

"You, of all people, should know, Cadet Kirk," Spock began. "A captain cannot cheat death."

McCoy's temper flared. He could handle the Vulcan trouncing Jim in a fair fight but this … this was dirty pool.

"I, of all people?" Jim asked, his voice flat and his face expressionless.

"Your father, Lieutenant George Kirk, assumed command of his vessel before being killed in action, did he not?"

"I don't think you like the fact that I beat your test." Jim said.

"Furthermore, you have failed to divine the purpose of the test," Spock continued calmly. Leonard could have sworn there was a smug expression on the Vulcan's face.

"Enlighten me again," Jim encouraged.

"The purpose is to experience fear in the face of certain death … to accept that fear and maintain control of oneself and one's crew. This is a quality expected in every Starfleet captain."

Jim remained silent and Leonard struggled to read the alpha. Anger, certainly … but McCoy caught the faintest wisp of a resignation. He frowned. Jim couldn't be considering giving up.  Any further musings by the omega were interrupted by the arrival of a messenger. Admiral Bennett looked at the padd and his face fell. He looked at the assembled cadets.

"We've received a distress call from Vulcan," the admiral said. "With our primary fleet engaged in the Laurentian system, I hereby order all cadets to report to Hangar One immediately. Dismissed."

Leonard walked down to where Jim stood watching Spock leave. Jim growled, "Who was that pointy-eared bastard?"

McCoy chuckled. "I don't know ... but I like him."

Jim gave the omega a disbelieving look even as Leonard walked off with a smirk.

* * *

Jim listened to the postings with a growing sense of dread. When the commander was done, he dismissed the cadets and Jim stood disbelieving. Leonard looked over at his friend.

"He didn't call my name," Jim muttered. Turning he ran after the commander. "Sir! Sir, you didn't call my name ... Kirk, James T."

The man answered while entering the status of the cadets he'd just given assignments to. "Kirk, you're on academic suspension. That means you're grounded until the Academy Board rules."

McCoy stepped up beside the alpha. "Jim, the Board will rule in your favor ... most likely." Leonard sighed. "Look, Jim... I gotta go."

Jim turned and pasted a broad smile on his face. "Yeah .. you go. Be safe, Bones."

McCoy clasped his friend's hand tightly. It was ironic that his first trip into the black would be without the sunshine-scented alpha. He looked at Jim sadly and then turned toward his own shuttle. A few feet away and Leonard knew he couldn't do it – there was no way in hell he could leave Jim behind. Turning with a muttered, "Damn it!" the omega moved back toward Jim and caught him by the elbow. "Come with me."

Jim followed McCoy. "What are you doing?"

"I'm doing you a favor. I couldn't just leave you there, looking all pathetic," Leonard said, scanning over the medical supplies carefully. "Take a seat, I'm gonna give you a vaccine against viral infection from Melvaran mud fleas."

"What for - ?" Jim began while looking around. He cringed in pain as McCoy pressed the hypo home.

"This'll give you the symptoms," Bones explained.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're gonna start to lose vision in your left eye,"

Jim blinked rapidly. "Yeah ... I already have."

"Oh ... and you're gonna get a really bad headache and a flop sweat." Leonard continued his tally of symptoms. He was in his element right now and no one ... not even the cockiest alpha he'd ever met ... could rattle him. He supported Jim while they made their way to the shuttle.

Jim could barely focus his eyes and he felt horrible. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that Bones had done this for him ... that the omega had willingly taken a huge risk with his own career so that Jim would have a chance. Unfortunately, he felt so bad, he could have given a shit.

"You call this a favor?" Jim groaned.

McCoy snorted. "Yeah ... you owe me one."

At the shuttle _Gilliam,_ they were stopped by the commander.

"Kirk, James T. - he isn't cleared for duty aboard the Enterprise."

Pulling himself up to his full height, Leonard fixed the man with his infamous 'glare'. "Medical code states the treatment and transport of a patient is to be determined at the discretion of the attending physician, which is _me_. Or would you like to explain to Captain Pike why the _Enterprise_ warped into a crisis without one of her senior medical officers?"

Jim found himself strangely attracted to the omega's scent when he was citing medical code.  It was confident and commanding.  He'd seen Bones working at the medical clinic and also during the times that he ended up on the losing end of a bar brawl.  He'd always admired how his friend's personality shifted.  Where he was usually quiet and content to let Jim be the center of attention, when it was something to do with caring for others no one got in Bones' way.  He'd watched him talk down an admiral once and listened to him bitch about it for the rest of the night.  Again, Jim thought Bones would have been an awesome alpha ... but he was secretly grateful he was not.  Unfortunately, Jim couldn't really think about it at the moment.  During Leonard's rant, Jim had been growing steadily more uncomfortable and had begun to pant hard. He could still make out Bones' whiskey smooth scent and it was calming but he was seriously beginning to doubt his friend's wisdom.

"As you were," the commander said.

"As _you_ were," McCoy muttered.

_Save me from pushy betas,_ Leonard thought.

Dragging Jim on board, he got them both settled into a seat. Ironically, as they broke atmosphere, Leonard found himself staring out the view port of the shuttle while Jim sat next to him sweating and fighting down nausea. The alpha grumbled, "I might throw up on you."

Ignoring Jim's complaints, McCoy's eyes widened as they came up on the docking station. "Jim, you've got to look at this."

Jim leaned over the omega to see whatever it was that was so fascinating and he forgot to breathe for a moment. The shuttle wove deftly through the other traffic and as it approached, they had a full view of their ship – the _U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701._ Neither Jim nor Leonard looked away as the shuttle glided over the hull toward the docking bay.

"She's beautiful," the two men muttered at the same time. They met eyes and grinned. They both knew this was the beginning of a very important part of their lives.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long time between updates ... Teen Wolf has been monopolizing my brain!

_Dear God, what am I_ _doing_ _?_ Leonard McCoy thought as he escorted his roommate and friend, Jim Kirk, from the shuttle bay through the ship. 

Leonard had a firm grip on Jim’s upper arm, but he was having a time convincing his omega instincts to cool their jets. This close to Jim all McCoy could smell was the alpha’s blessedly wonderful scent and it made his mouth water. He quickly resorted to growling in order to cover the nerves threatening his composure.

“We need to get you changed Jim,” Leonard said.

Jim could smell McCoy’s tension … and the smoky heat of the omega’s scent was maddening at close range. He could scent himself as well so that was alright, but the way he felt was horrible … and it was all Leonard McCoy’s fault.

“I don’t feel right,” Jim complained as he stumbled along beside Leonard. “I feel like I’m leaking.”

Dodging between crew moving rapidly through the bowels of the ship on their way to various duties, Leonard kept an eye out for any possible complications. He spotted one headed right toward them.

“Hell, it’s that pointy-eared bastard,” McCoy grumbled.

McCoy jerked Jim into a nearby turbo lift ignoring the alpha’s grunt. When they emerged, Jim’s confusion deepened. 

“Where are we?”

“This is the medical bay,” Leonard explained.

Jim groaned. “This isn’t worth it …”

McCoy sighed. He knew he was doing this for all the wrong reasons, mostly because he didn’t think he could stand to be separated from the alpha for the duration of the mission. Never mind that he was a grown man who'd been mated and who'd gone through – in his estimation – a horrific bond-severing. Leonard knew he was fucking in love with his best friend and he wasn’t about to let the sunshine-smelling brat out of his sight for longer than necessary. 

“A little suffering is good for the soul,” McCoy quoted.

 _And when I get caught doing this, I will be the one to suffer,_ Leonard thought miserably as he dragged the alpha along to a biobed.

When Jim turned to say hello to a nurse walking by, McCoy felt the all-too-familiar lump in his chest move into his throat. Naturally … he was risking his entire fucking career to get Jim on board the _Enterprise_ so that he could prove himself and fulfill his dreams and what was the contrary alpha doing? Flirting with anyone that walked by and showed an interest – anyone other than the man holding him upright, of course.

 _How is this my fucking life?_ Leonard wondered to himself for the billionth time. He pulled Jim back around forward.

“Come here,” he growled.

“My mouth is itchy … is that normal?” Jim asked blearily.

“Those symptoms won’t last long,” Leonard explained. “I’m going to give you a mild sedative.”

“I wish I didn’t know you,” Jim groaned.

McCoy inhaled sharply at the comment, knowing that Jim was simply speaking out of discomfort. It still hurt and Leonard didn’t feel inclined to pull his next punch.

“Don’t be such a fucking infant,” the doctor barked, pressing the hypo home considerably rougher than necessary.

The alpha winced in pain. Jim knew he shouldn’t have complained to Bones. Knowing the omega was one of the bright spots of his entire fucking life … why had he said he wished he _didn’t_ know him? He saw the brief pain and then anger flit through his friend’s eyes. Damn. Bones had heard … and when the hypo felt like McCoy was trying to put it through his neck, the alpha figured he deserved it. 

_Jim, you are a moron._ Kirk thought to himself.

Aloud, he asked, “How long is it supposed to –“

Leonard watched with some satisfaction as Jim fell limply back onto the biobed. “Unbelievable.”

McCoy didn’t know if he was referring to the alpha or his own pathetic behavior.

* * *

[ … we should be arriving at Vulcan within three minutes. Thank you for your time.] 

Leonard McCoy had only vaguely registered the ship-wide announcement amid preparations. Long years of practice, however, gave him the ability to glean what he needed and that was essentially that they needed to prepare for casualties and lots of them. He heard a faint groan and glanced over at Jim’s frame sprawled on the biobed. The kid would be waking up soon.

As if on cue, Jim shot straight up.

“Lightning storm …”

Leonard smirked. “Jim, you’re awake. How do you feel?”

Jim’s brain was working over what he’d heard in the announcement. His body, however reminded him that he was still not 100%. Pain shot through his head as the migraine reasserted itself. He looked over at Leonard who was staring at him in shock.

“Good God, man!”

“What?” Jim asked, looking down at his now comically swollen hands. He yelped in shock. “What the hell is _this_?”

Bones was running. “A reaction to the vaccine, damn it!”

Jim ignored the omega and staggered over to a console. He replayed the announcement again, certain he’d heard correctly. Sure enough, the Russian kid talking said the words he’d heard while swimming up from the sedative. “… a lightning storm in space.”

Leonard had been scanning Jim while the alpha looked over the ship’s announcement. He was becoming more and more distressed as he read over Kirk’s stats. He was unprepared for Jim to clasp his head in the pillow-like paws and say very seriously, “We need to stop the ship!”

 _Oh dear God in heaven … he’s delusional_ , Leonard groaned.

He didn’t have time to ponder the matter as Jim broke free and raced down the hall to another terminal. McCoy grabbed his medical case and ran after his friend.

“Jim! I’m not kidding … you’ve got to keep your heart rate down!”

Jim continued to ignore the omega as he tapped away on the console and finally gave up. “Computer! I need the location of Cadet Uhura!”

McCoy prepped another hypo, muttering nervously. “You know, I haven’t seen a reaction this severe since med school.”

“We’re flying into a trap!” Jim exclaimed before dashing off.

Leonard cursed softly and ran after the alpha. “Damn it, Jim, stand still!” He slammed the hypo down into Jim's neck. The alpha rounded on him angrily.

“Stop it!” Kirk snarled.

Leonard's omega response kicked in before he could completely suppress it and he felt a quick spike of fear. Jim looked at him in surprise before taking off again. McCoy followed, his healer's instincts driving him forward regardless of the alpha's anger.

 _This_ is what he wanted? _This_ is the alpha he’d fallen head over for? McCoy wondered if he’d hit his head on the initial shuttle ride to Starfleet and simply didn’t remember it. 

Jim mentally kicked himself as he ran. Even thought Bones was the least timid Omega he'd ever known, Jim knew that his emotions could directly drive McCoy's reactions if he wasn't careful. The last thing he wanted was for Bones to equate him with the other overbearing alphas he knew the doctor loathed. Skidding to a halt, Jim spotted his goal.

“Uhura! Uhura!”

The woman stood, her dark eyes flashing in irritation and disbelief. “Kirk! What are you doing here?” Her eyes traveled to Jim's hands and she froze. “Oh my God, what's wrong with your hands?!”

Kirk shook his head. “The transmission ... from the Klingon prison planet ... what exactly ...” Jim struggled to form the words. “Who is responsible for the Klingon attack? Was the ship Womulon?”

Uhura frowned. “What? Was the ship what?”

Kirk turned to McCoy, who he could scent behind him. “Wha' hap'nin oo' my mowf?”

Leonard grimaced. “You got numb tongue?”

Jim stared in disbelief. “'Umm uhnng?!'” 

“I can fix that,” McCoy said quickly, digging in his case.

Jim turned back to the communications cadet. Of all the times to be unable to talk ... Jim knew he had to make her understand. She looked at him, exasperated.

“Was the ship _what?”_

“ _Womulon,”_ Jim said helplessly.

Uhura took a moment and looked at Kirk's lips as he spoke the word. It suddenly dawned on her what the alpha meant.

“Romulan!”

“Yeth!” Jim crowed, only to suck in a pained gasp as Leonard pressed another hypo into his neck. His alpha temper rode close to the surface as he looked around and snarled. “'op it!”

Fortunately, his speech impediment softened the blow and Leonard merely pursed his lips in irritation. Jim glared at him and took off running again. McCoy groaned and ran after the alpha.

“Jim!” Leonard yelled as he barreled around corners. Jim was headed in the one direction the doctor did _not_ want him to go ... he began mentally resigning himself to losing his commission and quite possibly his license to practice medicine. 

_All because you fell for an alpha named Jim Kirk. I wonder if they'll put that on my tombstone,_ McCoy mused as he raced onto the bridge with Jim.

“Captain! Captain Pike, sir ...” Jim gasped out.

McCoy nearly ran into Jim as the alpha stopped suddenly. Pike was up and facing Jim in an instant. It took everything Leonard had not to shrink back from the very upset alpha ... Pike's scent was enraged. Even Uhura seemed to balk.

“Kirk how the _hell_ did you get on-board the _Enterprise_?!” Pike thundered.

McCoy positioned himself between Jim and the captain, hoping to spin an excuse Pike would buy. 

“Captain, this man's under the influence of a severe reaction to a vaccine,” Leonard explained desperately.

Jim blinked and blew out an exasperated breath. “Bones, please!”

“Sir, he's completely delusional and I take full responsibility,” McCoy said.

Jim met the omega's eyes briefly before disregarding him and speaking to Pike. Leonard couldn't explain the sudden ache in his chest at Jim's sudden dismissal. He could scent Jim's deep disappointment and it hurt. It actually _hurt_.

“Vulcan is not experiencing a natural disaster,” Jim explained. “It's being attacked by Romulans.”

McCoy gaped. Although he couldn't scent the underlying odor of madness, Jim's statement made absolutely no sense. Apparently, Pike agreed.

“Romulans? Cadet Kirk, I think you've had enough attention for one day,” Pike regarded McCoy. “Take him back to medical McCoy. We'll have words later.”

Leonard swallowed. It was hard enough having the captain of the damn ship give him an order ... that the captain was an infuriated alpha? McCoy couldn't have disobeyed even if he'd wanted to ... a fact he proved by grabbing hold of Jim as he attempted to approach Pike again. The alpha he'd fallen head over for leveled a glare at the doctor that froze his blood. Caught between two alphas, Leonard McCoy wanted to do nothing more than disappear into the deck plates. Instead he muttered. “I'm sorry, Jim ... please ...”

Jim jerked his arm free and turned his back on McCoy. He knew what he had to do and although it pained him more than he would ever let on ... Jim knew he could no longer rely on the omega he adored.


	5. Nero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long break ... writing my Almost Human AU made me want to revisit the boys here as well. Enjoy!

Leonard McCoy listened to Jim explain his actions … his desperation to get on the bridge … and was silenced. He swallowed hard several times trying to get the lump in his throat to go down but had no luck. He hadn’t trusted Jim. McCoy had trusted Jim on even less evidence than the alpha was providing now but when it mattered … the omega grimaced. Jim would never forgive him.

Pike looked at his first officer following Jim’s breathless explanation. The Vulcan looked impassively at Kirk and then turned to his captain.

“The cadet’s logic is sound,” Spock said with an almost disappointed air. “And cadet Uhura is unmatched in xenolinguistics. We would be wise to accept her conclusion.”

Pike looked at his comm officer. “Scan Vulcan space. Check for any transmissions in Romulan.”

The officer looked uncertain. “Sir, I’m not sure I can tell the difference.”

Pike looked over at Uhura. “Relieve the lieutenant,” he ordered. “Hannity, hail the U.S.S. Truman.”

“All the other ships are out of warp, sir … and have arrived at Vulcan, but we seem to have lost all contact.”

Uhura spoke up. “Sir, I pick up no Romulan transmission or any transmission of any kind in the area.”

“It’s because they’re being attacked,” Kirk said.

Pike seemed to consider but then he sat in his chair and ordered, “Shields up. Red alert.”

McCoy stood to one side and listened to the alert klaxon blare. His normal fear of flying was being multiplied 1000x and the alpha he wanted to scent for calm was on the other side of the bridge beside the Vulcan who was trying to get him kicked out of Starfleet.

 _ This _ _is my life, alright._ Leonard thought miserably.

Then the Enterprise dropped out of warp and McCoy saw Hell.

* * *

What should have been clear space surrounding Vulcan was full ... full of what was left of a fleet of Starfleet's finest ships. Debris littered the path before them and Kirk knew the bodies of many of his fellow cadets were part of the detritus. He swallowed hard and stole a glance across the bridge. McCoy had moved behind the railing at the edge of the bridge and was gripping it so tightly, Jim thought there might be indentations there later. He knew how terrified Bones was of flying ... of being in space at all. And yet he'd pushed aside that fear and gone into Starfleet. Jim thought it was odd he was having such a clear revelation about the omega he wanted during what was quite possibly one of the worst events he'd ever witnessed but so much was suddenly clear to him. He loved Bones. It wasn't just the usual alpha/omega attraction although that had a great deal to do with it ... no, he honestly could look himself in the eye and say that he loved the omega. He wanted Leonard McCoy to be his mate and he wanted the man to wear his collar. No wonder it had hurt so deeply when Bones didn't believe him.

“Captain, they are locking torpedoes,” Spock reported from his station.

Jim looked over at those words and saw Leonard's head snap around to look at him.

 _Well, I'll be damned,_ Jim thought to himself.

Jim wished they were bonded because then he could let McCoy know how he felt. He still thought calm toward the omega. When McCoy's eyes widened, so did Jim's.

Leonard heard the command from Captain Pike to divert power from the nacelles to their forward shields. He gripped the railing tighter wondering if he was about to die in his worst imagined nightmare. If he was, his last vision was not going to be a starship debris field. He turned to look at Jim and startled when he realized the alpha was already staring at him.

 _What the --- he's looking at ... me? _Leonard's brain was running a thousand miles a minute.

He'd fallen for the alpha the day they'd met and in three years his feelings had done nothing but grow stronger and more complicated. Leonard did not consider himself a shrinking violet omega but he was quite certain that he would give anything ... _do_ anything ... to have the alpha named Jim Kirk as his own. He didn't care if he had to wear a collar _and_ a leash ... he'd do it if he could be claimed by the blonde-haired, blue-eyed man standing feet away from him. And then he felt it ... a disembodied calm flowed over him. McCoy's hazel eyes went wide. He wasn't bonded to Jim ... there was no claim ... he knew he shouldn't be able to feel or sense the alpha in any way but the usual scent and his other mundane senses. But there it was again ... calm ... reassurance that everything was going to work out. He swallowed and gave a faint nod.

“Sulu, status report,” Pike demanded.

“Shields at 32%. Their weapons are powerful, sir ... we can't take another hit like that,” the helmsman replied.

“Get me Starfleet Command,” Pike barked.

Spock turned in his seat. “Captain, the Romulan ship has lowered some kind of high-energy pulse device into the Vulcan atmosphere. Its signal appears to be blocking our communications and transporter abilities.”

“All power to forward shields. Prepare to fire all weapons.” Pike ordered.

Jim knew the battle was going to be a short-lived one, but he couldn't help feeling that there was something else going on ... something far deeper than just a random mad Romulan destroying Starfleet ships and attacking Vulcan. He glanced back at Leonard but the omega was staring out the viewscreen. Jim was in slight shock. McCoy had _felt_ his emotional support a moment ago. The omega had acknowledged it with a nod. It was unheard of normally but then again, nothing in his life ever went according to plan. Why should finding a mate?

* * *

McCoy's attention was dragged to the viewscreen again as the Romulan announced himself. “Hello.”

“This is Captain Christopher Pike, to whom am I speaking?”

“Hello, Christopher, I'm Nero,” the Romulan said.

Leonard swallowed hard as he felt something akin to anger hit him. It was strong this time, not the faint brush of a moment ago. He blinked in surprise and looked over to see Jim glaring at the screen. Alpha rage was a new emotion for him and not one he was prepared to dilute ... but he had to try. He sent back amusement because it struck him as infinitesimally funny that he was standing on a bridge of the only remaining starship orbiting Vulcan while the captain gabbed with a very insane Romulan and he was trying to calm down a headstrong alpha that he was in love with.

Jim looked at the Romulan and felt the unbidden urge to _smile_? He flicked his eyes to Leonard and realized the omega had picked up on their burgeoning link. Which meant he knew Jim was on the verge of losing his control to an alpha rage fit ... and he was trying to head it off. Jim couldn't contain the surge of pride and gratitude that went right back to Leonard. The amusement faded but Jim felt his control return. He had to focus now or everything was lost.

“You've declared war on the Federation,” Pike said steadily. “Withdraw and I'll agree to arrange a conference with Romulan leadership --”

“I do not speak for the Empire,” Nero corrected. “We stand apart.” He looked over the bridge. “As does your Vulcan crew member. Isn't that right, Spock?”

Spock stood as all eyes turned to him. “Pardon me, but I do not believe that you and I are acquainted.”

“We are not ... yet. Spock, there's something I would like you to see,” Nero stated. “Captain Pike, your transporter has been disabled. As you can see by the rest of your armada, you have no choice. You will man a shuttle and come aboard the _Narada_ for negotiations. That is all.”

The Romulan broke the transmission and Pike sat in silence for a moment before standing. Jim was quick to move forward.

“You know he'll kill you,” Jim said.

Spock agreed. “Your survival is unlikely.”

“Captain,” Jim pleaded. “We gain nothing by diplomacy. Going over to that ship is a mistake.”

“Again, I agree, captain. You should rethink your strategy,” Spock countered.

Pike held up a hand. “I understand. I need officers who've been trained in advanced hand-to-hand combat.”

McCoy's eyebrow went up when the fellow named Sulu raised his hand. He could smell the alpha's deceit a mile away but then he noticed the look the man shared with the fellow at the other helm station ... Chekov. Leonard scented the spike of fear from the young man and realized he was an omega like himself. He fought not to roll his eyes. Of course ... alphas were notorious at showing their prowess off to attract omegas. The captain and others were too focused on the situation at hand to scent Sulu's lie and McCoy thought about exposing him but he didn't in the end. Hell ... they were probably all about to die anyway ... if the kid wanted to make a grand gesture, who was McCoy to stand in the way?

“Come with me,” Pike ordered. “Kirk, you too. You're not supposed to be here anyway.”

McCoy joined the group in leaving the bridge and was standing next to Jim in the lift. He made a very brief eye contact with Jim because he knew the alpha was about to join Pike in whatever hare-brained scheme the captain had rolling around in his brain. Blue eyes bored into him and he felt ... uncertainty. All at once, McCoy lost his worry about Jim's safety. Instead, he found himself sending back reassurance and faith. McCoy knew the alpha could do whatever he set his pretty little blonde head to ... he just had a thing about doubting himself. Leonard had seen enough of it in the Academy. He sighed as he took one direction toward the medical bay and the alphas and Spock took the other.

 _You can do this, kid,_ McCoy thought to himself. _You sure as shit better because when you get back, you and me are gonna have one hell of a talk._

Jim all but preened when he felt the strong reassurance from Leonard in the lift. The omega believed in him. No matter what had happened on the bridge earlier ... McCoy thought he could do this. Jim knew himself to be capable, but for some reason feeling the same from Leonard made it more solid in his mind. He realized that all through his time at the Academy, Bones had been there, ready to shove him forward if he balked and hold him back if he darted forward a little too quickly. He'd always had this omega's support. Why did it take until a homicidal Romulan was threatening his very existence for him to feel it ... to really notice it?

_I'm comin' back, Bones, count on it._


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops ... how did six months pass since my last posting to this??? Well, here's one to tide you over. Hopefully the others won't take so long.

Kirk walked briskly down the corridor with Pike and the others. He let the odd link between himself and McCoy fade for the moment into the background of his mind. He needed to concentrate on what Pike was saying.

“Without transporters, we can’t beam off the ship, we can’t assist Vulcan, we can’t do our job,” Pike explained.

It was clear from the alpha’s tone that this pissed him off deeply. “Mr. Kirk, Mr. Sulu, Engineer Olson will space-jump from the shuttle. You will land on that machine they’ve lowered into the atmosphere that’s scrambling our gear. You’ll get inside, you’ll disable it, then you’ll beam back to the ship. Mr. Spock, I’m leaving you in command of the Enterprise. Once we have transport capability and communications back up, you’ll contact Starfleet and report what the hell is going on here. And if all else fails, fall back and rendezvous with the fleet in the Laurentian system. Kirk … I’m promoting you to first officer.”

Kirk frowned. “What?”

“Captain?” Spock said abruptly. “Please … I apologize – the complexities of human pranks escape me.”

Pike looked faintly amused. “It’s not a prank, Spock. And I’m not the Captain … you are. Kirk, Sulu … let’s go.”

Kirk paused as he walked past Spock, the corner of his mouth quirking. He knew the Vulcan considered him unworthy of the promotion but Jim was done showing throat. Bones thought he could do this … no, Bones believed he could do this. He intended to prove the omega right.

“Sir, after we knock out that drill, what happens to you?” Kirk asked as he walked onto the lift with Sulu and Pike.

“Well, I guess you’ll have to come get me,” Pike said. He looked at Spock. “Careful with the ship, Spock … she’s brand new.”

* * *

Since walking into sickbay, Leonard McCoy had been running at his top speed. The medical wing had been blown to bits by the Romulan attack. He was forced to work in a small area not on fire or buried in debris. It was chaos. Leonard loved every fucking minute.

As an omega, he’d had to fight to prove himself capable of being a doctor. Society was supposedly ‘understanding’ of an omega’s limitations and made a big show of ‘accepting’ said limitations. In McCoy’s experience, however, society was more than willing to shove those limitations right back up an omega’s ass if he dared wander into a realm not meant for him. So it had gone for most of Leonard’s life.

McCoy’s father had been a doctor and a damn good one. He’d been a neutral beta with a beta wife and managed to bring an omega son into the world. The community was politely joyful and expected that David McCoy would raise his son to fit into one of the pre-drilled holes made just for omegas. In true McCoy style, David let his son choose his own path and then helped him navigate it … occasional knock-down, drag-outs with the disapproving included.

All that had gone before had prepared Leonard for this moment … Dr. Puri, the alpha doctor assigned to the Enterprise, lay dead in the temporary morgue along with most of his support staff. McCoy’s rank immediately put him in charge and the omega hadn’t missed a beat. Gathering what staff was left, Leonard had some tending the incoming wounded, others were collecting whatever supplies were still intact and he was trying to get the medical wing back into some sort of workable order because there was little doubt they would see more pain and hurt before this was all done.

Which meant he had little patience for a certain sanctimonious Vulcan who commed in.

“Dr. Puri, report,” Spock said.

Jabbing the comm button, McCoy growled. “This is McCoy … Dr. Puri was on Deck 6. He’s dead.”

“Then you have just inherited his responsibility as chief medical officer,” Spock replied after a pause.

Leonard rolled his eyes. _Day late and a dollar short, elf-ears,_ McCoy thought to himself. Aloud, he said, “Yeah, tell me something I don’t know.”

Spock stared at the comm in consternation. He did not understand humans much better than the first time he encountered them and he had an idea that the omega called Leonard McCoy would never help in that regard.  In fact, Spock could not quite shake the feeling that of all the frustrating humans he had contact with -- McCoy would prove to be the most convoluted.  It was an illogical feeling since it had absolutely no facts to support it and Vulcans did not play 'hunches'.  He simply decided he would be glad when this mission was over and his interaction with the irascible doctor would come to a definite end. 

* * *

Jim sat in the shuttle with Sulu next to him. His mind was automatically ticking off the things he needed to do for this high-altitude drop. This was it … he was doing what he’d trained for over the last three years. He looked over at Engineer Olson.

“You’ve got the charges, right?”

The man looked at him and his eyes were filled with a wild sort of energy that made Jim slightly uneasy.

“Oh yeah … I can’t _wait_ to kick some Romulan ass, right?” the man grinned.

Jim nodded. “Uh, yeah.”

Mentally, Jim rethought his plan and included a scenario without the engineer. Missions like this needed to run with precision … everyone performing their job, not off on some glory hunt collecting enemy scalps. He blew out a silent breath as Pike guided them out of the _Enterprise’s_ shuttle bay toward the Romulan craft. Jim looked over at Sulu.

“What type of combat training do you have?” he asked.

“Fencing,” Sulu replied.

Jim stared at the other alpha. _Dear God what have I done?_

Pike announced “Pre-jump.”

All three jumpers immediately put their helmets on – Jim felt his body tense as Pike closed the airlock. Moments ticked by like hours. He took a couple of deep breaths to center himself and then he felt it. Confidence not from within himself suddenly filled his mind. No false hope, just steady assurance.

_Bones?_

As quickly as it had appeared, the feeling faded but behind it was something else and Jim was hard pressed not to laugh when he felt it. Irritation. If McCoy had been right in front of him, Jim had little doubt he’d be getting a lecture on the foolhardy nature of his mission and an admonition to bring his ass back in one piece. His lips quirked.

 _Aye, aye, Bones_. Jim thought. He felt amusement and then nothing. The bond or whatever it was fell silent. He was alone in his head again.

“This is it, gentlemen,” Pike said over the comms. “We have one shot to land on that platform. They may have defenses so pull your chute as late as possible.”

Jim and the others took hold of the launch handles. They were magnetically pulled into position over the opening. Jim cleared his mind of everything except what he had to do.

“Remember, the _Enterprise_ won’t be able to beam you back aboard until you shut off that drill. Good luck.”

The deck opened up beneath them and then they were falling.

_I love you, Bones._

* * *

On board the _Enterprise,_ Leonard McCoy had a sudden attack of vertigo coupled with a very strong emotion. It passed in seconds but the lingering ghost emotion had him blinking in shock, then anger overtook him. He stalked to the next patient running a hand over his soot and sweat plastered face.

_Save me from fucking infant alphas who wait until they’re falling miles through the fucking sky to the itty bitty platform of a mining drill hanging from a ship captained by a fucking insane Romulan and his merry band of murderers before they bother admitting they might have feelings that extend past who next to fuck!!_

No one heard Leonard’s internal rant but his dark expression parted people like the ancient Red Sea. His expression cleared eventually into something resembling resignation as he tended to the man on the bed in front of him.  He passed off the patient to a nurse and walked over to check the incoming manifest.  Leaning on the console, Leonard's shoulders slumped and he focused his thoughts.

_I love you too, you golden-haired idiot. Come back to me or I swear to God I will find you myself in the afterlife and kick your ass._

McCoy felt no response and his chest was suddenly far too tight for his pounding heart.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to anyone who is still reading this . . . I'm sorry for the late, late, LATE update. 
> 
> I'm still pretty devastated over losing Anton Yelchin so this chapter contains a scene from Pavel's POV instead of just Jim or Bones. It's my poor attempt to capture a moment that always makes me smile in the movie and a nod to a wonderful actor who left us far too soon. RIP Anton ... you will be missed.

For the longest time, there was only silence. Kirk watched the surface of Vulcan grow larger and larger as he plummeted toward it. It was beautiful in an eerie sort of way and the void enveloped him in a way that made Jim realize this was where he belonged – in the black. How could he ever settle for anything less than this?

He reached the atmosphere and with friction came sound. Softly at first but then gradually building along with the painful sensation of Vulcan’s stronger gravity pulling at his body. The cable chain tethering the mining drill platform in place sped by in a long dark blur beside Jim as he fell toward the planet’s surface. He groaned as the g-forces wreaked havoc on his body despite the jump suit. The platform’s circle grew larger and Jim called out his distance.

“Kirk to _Enterprise_. Distance to target, 5,000 meters.”

Mirroring his actions, Sulu and Olsen shouted out their own distance markers and Chekov echoed them from the ship. Jim mentally began to prepare himself for pulling his chute. Falling at this speed, the abrupt change in velocity was going to be brutal. The alpha needed to quickly get control of his chute or he might overshoot the platform entirely. He ran through the actions in his head, hyper-aware of everything around him, the drilling platform, his companions, and the planet Vulcan spread out below them. As he cataloged the moment, Jim sensed a presence in the back of his mind. It was quiet, but _there_. Everything that made up the headstrong omega back on the _Enterprise_ lay in the quiescent link and Jim felt another wave of emotion. He took that and wrapped it around the link, letting it bleed through and saturate the connection.

What came back to him was completely unexpected – frustrated anger. Jim felt his mouth quirk as a laugh threatened. He knew in that instant that he would never settle until Doctor Leonard Horatio McCoy wore his collar and his claim mark. It was a shock to realize, but Jim found himself willing to give up _everything_ to have the man as his mate. Other omegas responded to his affection with echoing tenderness and eager desire – which wasn’t a bad thing, per se but Bones … the omega’s current anger at Jim’s declaration of love was a prime example. Instead of being stupidly grateful for it, Leonard was righteously _pissed_ at the alpha’s timing. The link wasn’t meant to convey spoken words, just emotions but Jim could feel it practically _singing_ with the omega’s anger. He was definitely going to have to step up his game if he intended to mate Bones. The man was no push-over to be soothed with sweet talk and flowers. No, the doctor would require all of Jim’s charm and persistence. Jim felt a reluctant give in the link as McCoy sent his own love in return. It wasn’t forgiveness for Jim’s badly timed affection but rather, a promise of it with the underlying assurance that Jim’s feelings were shared by another. The alpha allowed himself the smallest of grins at the challenge Leonard would present. This was going to be fun. The platform loomed and Jim’s attention was siphoned away. The link went silent.

“Two thousand meters,” Sulu announced. “Pulling chute.”

Jim saw the beta’s gold suit as he zipped slightly past before pulling his own parachute. It unfurled behind him before billowing wide and halting his downward fall. Jim grunted as gravity punished him. He was going to need a day with a sonic bath to work out all the strained muscles and joints. Maybe two days. With Bones.

Jim realized that the chief engineer hadn’t pulled his chute. He stared down at the rapidly descending alpha in shock.

“Come on, Olson … pull your chute!” Jim shouted into the mic.

“No, not yet! Not yet! 1,500 meters!” the man yelled.

Jim gaped. He had no idea what the man was thinking. Even at his own slowed descent rate, landing on the platform was going to be anything but simple. He was still going too fast to hit a stationary target with much accuracy. It would take a lot of luck to prevent himself from tumbling right off the edge. Olson was tempting fate in the worst way with his daredevil move.

“Olson, open your chute!” Sulu screamed.

“Olson, pull your chute!” Jim shouted again.

A near-manic laugh came over the comm link that deeply disturbed Jim. It was in the nature of an alpha to take risks and be reckless – their biology demanded that they push boundaries. He, of all people, was guilty of doing that on a daily basis. Bones had been an unwilling witness to the aftermath of Jim’s stupidity more than once over their three year friendship. Yet, the omega had instinctively known when Jim was just being an alpha and when it was more than that. Jim could pull up any number of memories of Leonard’s firm hand on his arm, reining the alpha in without ever truly holding him back. Without a tether of some sort, be it a companion or their own internal discipline, alphas ran a real risk of forgetting they were fragile, mortal beings. Jim feared Chief Engineer Olson had not only peered over that ledge, he’d jumped the rail.

Olson called out, “1,000 meters!”

Jim watched as the alpha finally released his parachute just above the target … and then he had a front-row seat to see the alpha bounce along the platform’s surface like a rock skimming a lake before sliding off the opposite edge. His chute filled with heat from the drill and sucked him into its flow with a cut-off scream.

Jim had barely registered that the engineer was gone before the platform rose up underneath him. Frantically working his chute’s handles, Jim came in fast and hard. He rolled as he landed but in a heartbeat, Jim learned the same lesson Olson had – the chutes were death with the brutal heat thermals from the drill. His own began to pull him along willy-nilly heading for the edge and oblivion. Jim clawed uselessly at the metal beneath him, fighting to find purchase anywhere. With what was effectively a sail behind him, Jim managed to snag the edge of a grate, halting his fate becoming that of Olson. Struggling to hold on with one hand, Jim slapped his hand against the control panel on his chest. The chute retracted neatly into his back carrier and the alpha slumped to the platform. Pulling off his helmet, Jim looked around him, trying to gain his bearings. A hatch opened a few feet from him and one of the Romulans lifted himself out, rifle in hand.

All the fury of losing his friends from the Academy flared and Jim rushed the Romulan with a yell. He slammed his helmet into the warrior, knocking him off-balance. The miner lifted his rifle but Jim grabbed it, forcing it away from himself. As he grappled with the Romulan, the rifle fired several wild shots over Jim’s head and he missed it punching holes in Sulu’s chute. The broad body of his foe slammed into him and Jim went spinning across the platform. His stomach rose up to sit in his throat as he slid over the edge toward the surface. Jim’s gloves barely found fingertip purchase on the edge and he couldn’t stop the surge of panic that slipped into the link between himself and Bones.

* * *

When Leonard was linked to his alpha, Jocelyn, her emotions had driven him insane. He’d longed for a quiet moment from the constantly shifting tidal waves that flowed through their bond. His love for her blinded him to it for a long time but eventually he’d come to realize that the woman only _took_ from him. Leonard’s needs, desires and dreams were all brushed aside and he was forced to constantly support whatever insecurity had risen to the surface that day. He remembered feeding her his love and concern daily – threading their link with as much assurance as he could but it was never returned and the omega began to learn to live without the support of an alpha. It had driven them further apart until the relationship had disintegrated under its own weight.

Jim, in just the few short hours that they’d shared the link, had already been giving McCoy the support he needed to push through the trials they were facing without seeming condescending. Kirk knew his friend was brilliant and more than capable of taking care of himself but the extra sense that someone was behind him had made it that much easier to find the strength inside himself. So when Jim’s sudden wave of panic flooded their connection, McCoy had wavered on his feet for a moment, but he’d latched onto the fear and pulled it close. He didn’t even know what he was doing really – something had happened to Jim down on Vulcan and there wasn’t a blessed thing that McCoy could do to help him but he would be a thousand times damned if he let the sunshine-bright alpha feel like he was alone on this or any other world.

_I gotcha, kid. I’m here – take what you need. Take it._

* * *

Jim felt Bones’ response like a cool breeze in his head. The omega had opened the link between them fully and his emotional strength was there for the taking. If Jim hadn’t been so preoccupied with not falling to his death, he might have actually teared up.

_God, I don’t deserve that man but please let me live to find out if I can have him,_ Jim prayed.

The Romulan was playing a deadly game of foot stomp as he tried to break Jim’s handhold. Leonard’s calm was focusing and even as Jim cried out in pain as one hand was smashed, he knew somehow he’d survive this. He had to, after all … there was an omega waiting for him on the _Enterprise_ that he needed to claim.

As Jim tried to determine how he was going to pull himself up and bracing for the final strike that would send him plummeting to the ground, the Romulan froze. A sword point appeared in the center of the warrior’s chest, slick with green blood. Jim stared in shock as the dark eyes went blank and the Romulan toppled lifeless off the platform to disappear into the distance below. A strong hand gripped his arm and Jim scrambled back onto the dubious stability of the platform.

Sulu sucked in gasps of air alongside Jim. “Olson had the charges!”

“I know,” Jim replied. He looked around and stalked over to a discarded rifle. “So we do this!”

Jim fired at the main coupling which powered the drill. Sulu followed suit and after a few moments they were rewarded by the cessation of vibration through the platform. Jim sent a thrill of success through the link and barked a short laugh at the _I told you so, now leave me alone, some of us have real jobs_ vibe that came back to him. He could see the recalcitrant omega standing in front of him with a supremely unimpressed expression on his face. If he had to admit anything to himself, it would be that _that_ aspect of Leonard’s personality – the defiant, unwilling to submit easily part - was fucking _hot_.

“You know, McCoy would have made an awesome alpha,” Jim commented.

Sulu regarded him with some confusion before both their attentions were drawn to a strange rotating device that propelled itself down the chain of the drill into the hole bored in the surface. Jim and Hikaru scrambled to the edge to look over at whatever it was – Jim hit his commlink.

“Kirk to _Enterprise_! They just launched something at the planet … through the hole they just drilled.”

“That can’t be good,” Sulu commented.

Jim had to agree.

* * *

On the bridge of the _Enterprise_ , carefully controlled chaos reigned. The scanner readings from the surface of Vulcan were clear but that didn’t ease the deep-seated unease Ensign Pavel Andreievich Chekov felt at seeing the readouts. He was already on edge at the fact that a particular young alpha was down on the planet in mortal danger and not beside him at their regular post.

Chekov was no fool – he knew they could both die at any time in Starfleet. It was all part and parcel of the job. But looking at the data in front of him, Chekov felt his heart trying to pound its way out of his chest.

_Poka yeshche net, moya zvezda . Yeshche net._ He thought helplessly.

Tapping his screen, Chekov turned to look at Spock. “Captain, gravitational sensors are off the scale. If my calculations are correct, they are creating a singularity that will consume the planet.”

Even as the words left his mouth, Pavel saw the blood drain from the normally unflappable Spock’s face. They both knew what this meant but shock drove Spock to confirm it. Chekov’s heart pounded harder, if that was humanly possible.

“They are creating a … black hole at the center of Vulcan?” Spock asked. Chekov nodded, understanding the acting captain’s reluctance to believe what he was hearing. “How long does the planet have?”

“Minutes, sir. Minutes.”

Spock sprang from the captain’s chair and delegated the conn to Chekov as he raced to the transporter room. Chekov turned back to his console with a heavy sigh. From the planet’s surface, he heard Kirk call for a beam-out, their mission over. He exhaled and closed his eyes, knowing that soon Sulu would be back on board. He made a small promise to himself that he would finally confront the alpha about his feelings. It might be unseemly for an omega to pursue an alpha but Pavel prided himself on never doing what was expected.

A loud beeping pulled him from his musings and he frowned down at the display. He barely managed to bite back a shout of dismay as he witnessed his alpha falling . . .

* * *

Kirk drew in large gasps of air as he and Sulu waited for their beam-out. It hadn’t been quite so polished, but the mission was done. He regretted the loss of Olson but the chief engineer had been too reckless and he’d paid the price. Jim sent a silent apology to McCoy.

_Bones, I am sorry for everything I’ve done and probably for everything I’m going to do …_

He smiled, hearing the omega’s imagined response in the deep gravel-laden voice that did things to him.

The platform beneath them suddenly began to shift and buck. Jim fell to his knees as he heard the transporter chief yelling, “I can’t lock onto you! Don’t move … don’t move!”

Jim looked up to see Sulu wind milling his arms at the edge of the platform before disappearing.

“Sulu!”

Without a thought to his apology only moments ago, Kirk raced for the edge … and dove off. He straightened his body, making himself as streamlined as possible. He had only moments to reach Sulu who was in a flat spin. He aimed as best he could and yelled, “Sulu! Hang on!”

The two alphas collided with loud grunts. Jim gripped the other man tightly. “I’ve got you – pull my chute!”

Sulu frantically hit the release control and Jim’s parachute unfurled behind him. They felt the immediate slowing of descent only to have a sickening swoop follow as the cables holding Jim’s chute in place gave under the immense strain and broke free, sending them plummeting again.

“ _Enterprise!_ We’re falling without a chute! Beam us up!” All pretense of calm was gone, Jim was screaming for his survival. “Beam us up! Beam us up!”

* * *

Chekov watched the dancing dots on the screen and felt as though he were falling with the two officers. As the targeting computer doggedly tried to latch onto the shifting DNA signatures, Pavel realized he knew how to capture them in a stable beam. The mathematics began to race through his head, coalescing in a series of steps that would lead to bringing Kirk and his treasured Sulu back on board.

“I can do that … I can do that!” Chekov barked. He jumped up and shouted at the officer beside him, “Take the conn!”

The omega darted down the corridor, praying to every one of his ancestors that he would reach the transporter room in time. Crewmembers dodged out of the way as he scrambled around corridors yelling, “I can do that! Move, move, move, move! I can do that! I can do that!” Curls bouncing and covered with sweat, Chekov barreled into the transporter room and waved the engineer away from the console. “Quick, give me manual control, I can lock on!”

Chekov’s fingers flew over the screen, darting as if with a mind of their own as he hissed, “Hold on, _moya zvezda …_ please hold on …”

_“Enterprise_ where are you? Do it now! Now! Now! Do it –“

“Compensating gravitational pull, and ---“

Jim screamed in concert with Sulu as the Vulcan landscape rushed up to greet them. The only thing that met them, however, was a painful impact with the transporter pad. Jim groaned.

_“Ё-моё!_ ” Chekov shouted.

“Thanks,” Sulu muttered.

“No problem,” Jim grunted in return.

He stared in disbelief a moment later when Chekov all but dragged Sulu off the transporter pad and into a brief but very hard kiss, leaving the alpha slightly tongue-tied. The omega continued to talk rapidly at the man in Russian but Jim ignored him to stare confusedly at Spock, who was strapping on a phaser and crouching on the pad. The Vulcan beamed away on what Jim was convinced was a suicide mission. Unfortunately, he knew that if it were someone he loved on the dying planet below, he would do the same. He looked at Sulu who was staring at Chekov like the sun had just settled on the young omega and then he was out of the transporter bay, walking briskly to Medical.

* * *

McCoy looked away from the monitor showing him the planet Vulcan cracking under the stress of its own weight as the black hole widened within it. He saw Jim enter and when the alpha’s eyes zeroed in on him, he found he could not move. He found he could barely breathe. He found himself being kissed a second later.

“Jim … we’re on duty …” Leonard protested weakly. His lips burned like fire and he was grateful for the discipline that helped him clamp tightly down on the desire to wrap himself around Jim Kirk and regulations be damned.

The alpha chuckled and pulled back. “I missed you, Bones.”

The doctor rolled his eyes and at a stunned gasp from one of his techs, they both turned to take in the final death throes of a planet that had been old when Earth was barely in its infancy. It was horrifying to see the planet disappear into space as the _Enterprise_ sped out of the danger zone.

Jim’s hand brushed lightly against Leonard’s and the omega linked his pinkie with the alpha’s. It was just as brief as the kiss but it was enough to make McCoy’s heart pound in his chest. The alpha he’d loved for so long … _wanted_ him. _Needed_ him. And even as his eyes prickled with unshed tears for all the lives lost on Vulcan, Leonard McCoy made a promise that when all was said it done he would accept Jim’s claim. It was ludicrous, falling in love like a teenager at his age but there it was – he loved James Tiberius Kirk. He glanced over at the alpha who was now sitting on an exam bed being tended amongst the incoming wounded and sad remnants of the Vulcan species. He imagined kneeling for the alpha that smelled like sunshine and he could almost feel the weight of the collar. He would submit without a second thought and he sent that sensation through to Jim.

The alpha stiffened and looked over his shoulder, blue eyes somehow brighter than ever. Leonard dropped his eyes to emphasize his declaration. It was all they could afford right now until this nonsense was done. Still, when Jim’s warm acknowledgement flowed back to him, McCoy exhaled softly.

_Lord help me, I’m so screwed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations from Google/message boards:  
> Poka yeshche net, moya zvezda . Yeshche net. - Please not yet, my star. Not yet.  
> moya zvezda - my star  
> Ё-моё! - Holy crap! (most of what I read on that exclamation Chekov gives when he beams Kirk/Sulu back on board is that it might be him cursing in disbelief that his efforts worked. If anyone has more info, please feel free to let me know.


End file.
